High Level Fora: Space as a Driver for Socio-Economic Sustainable Development

The first United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
(UNISPACE) was held in 1968. The year 2018 will mark its fiftieth anniversary, and this is a fitting time to take stock of the contributions of the three UNISPACE conferences (UNISPACE I, held in 1968, UNISPACE II, held in 1982 and UNISPACE III, held in 1999) to global space governance. The
Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and its Legal Subcommittee, supported by the Office for Outer Space Affairs, have, for the past 50 years, contributed extensively to the fostering of international cooperation in space activities at the international, regional, interregional and national levels for the benefit of all countries. At the same time,
UNISPACE+50 will look at the perspectives in outer space activities for the next decades.

Leading towards 2018, a
series of high level fora: Space as a Driver for Socioeconomic Sustainable Development, to be organized by the Office for Outer Space Affairs from 2016 through 2018, will be a unique opportunity for the collective space community to address the cross-sectoral impact of integrating economic, environmental, social, policy and regulatory dimensions of space in pursuance of global sustainable development.

This series of high level fora is intended to facilitate constructive dialogue between policy-makers and key stakeholders from different parts of the government, civil society, business and industry, among others to address broader perspective of space economy, space society, space accessibility and space diplomacy:

Space economy

Defined as "the full range of activities and use of resources that create and provide value and benefits to human beings in the course of exploring, understanding and utilizing space", is driven by technology innovation, and space is innovation by definition, because it is at the edge of what is possible for humanity to do and develop.

Space society

Refers to a society, which carries out its core functions while making the best use of space technologies and space-based services and applications.

Space accessibility

Refers to all user communities and decision-makers being able, on an equal basis, to benefit from and use space technologies and space-based data.

Space diplomacy

For the purpose of fostering socio-economic sustainable development, is to be defined as cooperation among nations in using space technologies and applications to address common challenges facing humanity and to build constructive, knowledge-based partnerships.

The High Level Forum, therefore, represents a unique opportunity for the collective space community to provide guidance and recommendations, which will shape and position space activities as drivers for innovation, socio-economic development and diplomacy for a sustainable future.

Current event

2018: United Nations/Germany High Level Forum: The way forward after UNISPACE+50 and on Space2030

13 - 16 November 2018, Bonn, Germany

The High-Level Forum 2018 in Bonn, Germany will provide a unique opportunity to inform all stakeholders on the way forward after
UNISPACE+50 and on the implementation of the results of the first United Nations global space summit of the 21st century.

Past events

2017: United Nations/United Arab Emirates High Level Forum: Space as a Driver for Socio-Economic Sustainable Development

06 - 09 November 2017, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

As highlighted in the
Dubai Declaration, adopted on 24 November 2016 at the High Level Forum: Space as a Driver for Socioeconomic Sustainable Development, held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, (
A/AC.105/1129) UNISPACE+50 is a milestone opportunity to demonstrate the broad societal benefits of space as an area of innovation, inspiration, interconnectedness, integration and investment, and to strengthen unified efforts at all levels and among all relevant stakeholders in the space sector.

2016: United Nations/United Arab Emirates High Level Forum: Space as a Driver for Socio-Economic Sustainable Development

20 - 24 November 2016, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The
First High Level Forum aims to drive debate on the role of space science and technology in fostering global development. The Forum therefore represents a unique opportunity for the collective space community to address the future global space governance leading up to the fiftieth anniversary of the First United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space "UNISPACE+50" in 2018. This also could be a fitting time to take stock of the contributions of the three UNISPACE conferences, held in 1968, 1982 and 1999 respectively, to global space governance.

2015: The High Level Forum: Space as a Driver for Socio-Economic Sustainable Development - Preparatory Meeting

19 November 2015, Vienna, Austria

This one-day preparatory meeting brought together decision-makers from governments, space agencies, and other high-ranking officials to address the four thematic pillars: space economy, space society, space accessibility, and space diplomacy. Read here the full
summary and find here all
presentations made during the conference.